Has Your Club Restricted Guest Play in the Pandemic?

[Paul Jones]

My home course in Louisiana we did restrict play, then once we moved to the next phase we started allowing guest play.


I am a member at a club in GA and have the same policy, but they do not allow unaccompanied play. 

[Philip Hensley]

Every private club that I know of in my area restricted guest play, at least until July or so. Not for liability reasons so much, but because there were so many members wanting to play that they did not have availability for guests to play.

[Tyler Kearns]

Many clubs may have an assessment rather than a dues rebate.  Revenue at such clubs will be down due to the cancellation of events like weddings, charity tournaments, corporate outings, lower F&B revenue due to Covid-19 restrictions and lower guest fee revenue.  Even high end courses - for several years I used to play at a corporate outing at Merion where they got a lot of $$$ from a Wall Street I-Bank to bring out guests on a Monday afternoon.  Clubs don't generally make more revenue when members play more rounds, excepting ancillary revenue like carts.

Wayne,


A few of the private golf courses in Winnipeg that I'm familiar with will make it through the pandemic in a financially strong position due to the 75% wage subsidy offered by the government of Canada.  The loss of tournament and wedding revenue is offset by only having to pay management and staff 25% of their wages with the feds chipping in the rest.


Tyler

[Tommy Williamsen]

My home club had restrictions until May. I think my club outside Atlantic City had restrictions on guest play. Bunches of folks spent the summer at their homes near the shore. Consequently, the course was jammed with member play.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Wayne,

A few of the private golf courses in Winnipeg that I'm familiar with will make it through the pandemic in a financially strong position due to the 75% wage subsidy offered by the government of Canada.  The loss of tournament and wedding revenue is offset by only having to pay management and staff 25% of their wages with the feds chipping in the rest.


Tyler

For sure that helped.  I am not sure what the updated financial status is given more easing of restrictions and the CERB helping to pay for staff.  We were originally running with less than 50% of the normal maintenance crew, but not we have gotten much closer to the full complement.  We also have had a lot of people join on trial memberships for the season and many of them that I have spoken to are likely to join as permanent members.

[Greg Clark]

My club in a northern Dallas suburb has not placed restrictions on guest play.  Like pretty much every club and public course in the area, it has been a record spring and summer for rounds played.

[Dan Grossman]

My club in Los Angeles initially banned all guest play.  A some point a month or two ago, they started allowing guest play, but only Tues - Thursday starting at Noon.  I believe the restrictions are now mainly due to heavy demand for tee times.  We used to only have tee times on Weekend mornings, but with COVID we have gone to 12 minute tee times at all times.  Most days the tee sheet is booked solid through about 3 - 4pm. 

[Brad Steven]

Cleveland area courses have generally not restricted guest play and I'd say for most, rounds are up.  From a revenue standpoint, outings are way down though so in the end, clubs that relied heavily on outings probably are net down. 

[Andrew Harvie]

Yes. My club is only guests Mondays after 1, every other tee time. Pretty restricted!

[Rick Shefchik]

Minnesota courses -- including mine -- initially did not allow guests, but began dropping those restrictions by mid- to late May. Our club has had three cases of COVID that I know of -- all recovered now -- but none to staff. I know of one course that had to close its clubhouse for a while because of a positive test, but the course remained open.


Our course is well on the way to recording the most rounds we've ever had in one season.

[Daryl David]

Both of my clubs (CA and WA) now allow guest play. Both started in late May. That said, demand for play by members has caused both clubs to restrict guests to limited times.


I know of a few clubs that have closed briefly when employees have tested positive. I have not heard of any member with Covid having had that infection traced to playing golf or being at their club. It doesn’t appear that golf clubs are responsible for much spread of the virus. I haven’t met anyone that is more afraid to head to the club for a round than taking a trip to the grocery store. If health officials knew what they know now, golf probably would not have been shut down back in March/April.

[Thomas Dai]

No guest play where I frequent the most for a couple of months. Then/now relaxed. Greenfee visitors also now allowed but only two tee-times per day.
Atb

[Tom_Doak]

Just got a note from Crystal Downs today that we will not allow guests for the remainder of the golf season.

[mike_beene]

My club in Dallas now allows guests on Tuesdays and Wednesday's.

[Daryl David]

Just got a note from Crystal Downs today that we will not allow guests for the remainder of the golf season.

Is that a Covid related decision or a decision driven by increased member play?  My experience is the latter. Just no room for guests. Not sure how long this will last, but you can dismiss the “private golf clubs are dying” headlines. It’s booming.

[Nick Ackland]

When golf was still allowed, all of the private sandbelt clubs around Melbourne had banned guest play indefinitely. Unfortunately we're not permitted to travel more than 5km from our houses, and golf is banned, so nobody can play at the moment  .

[Tom_Doak]

Just got a note from Crystal Downs today that we will not allow guests for the remainder of the golf season.

Is that a Covid related decision or a decision driven by increased member play?  My experience is the latter. Just no room for guests. Not sure how long this will last, but you can dismiss the “private golf clubs are dying” headlines. It’s booming.

It's COVID related.  Typically a portion of the membership heads south after Labor Day, and the club opens the doors to limited unaccompanied guest play to help subsidize the operation.  There was speculation they would relax the policy then, also to allow members to accommodate their own guests. But the board decided to play it safe due to the continued pandemic.

[Luke Sutton]

Most clubs in Texas have had restrictions similar to ones described above with two notable exceptions. Both have lost revenue due to resort/hotel play becoming non-existent.


Barton Creek usually restricts guests to 12 rounds total per year. They are no longer counting.


TPC San Antonio has been allowing Nurses and Doctors to play anytime for $80 (steeply discounted compared to normal resort prices). They didn’t check my work ID both times I made the trip down.

[Ryan Van Culin]

I preface by saying we are very rural and not near any metropolitan area.


That said, we haven't had any golf restrictions with member or guest play this year. We have had restrictions with dining and the pool, but not golf. When we had our member-guest, they cancelled the standard Saturday evening formal dinner, and just did burgers and hot dogs outdoors.

[Buck Wolter]

Kingsley hasn't limited accompanied guests but I wouldn't be surprised to see it move to a CD type offseason unaccompanied guest policy given the increased membership/member play. It's not a turf museum anymore.

On a side note it was in the best condition I recall last week -- firm fairways and greens with quick but not crazy green speeds -- damn near perfect meld.

[Tim Martin]

On a side note it was in the best condition I recall last week -- firm fairways and greens with quick but not crazy green speeds -- damn near perfect meld.

Buck-I’m in for a gross of hats in assorted colors that say DNPM.
Damn Near Perfect Meld-Beautiful!!!!!!

[Doug Wright]

Our club in Denver has been members-only golf since March, and likely will stay that way because demand and spaced tee times have filled the tee sheets. Plus Gil Hanse is on the property now moving some greens and doing some other work so not a good time to have guests anyway...

[William_G]

no

[Dave Doxey]

I play in a senior league that schedules at both public and private courses.  I've not seen any restrictions on outings.


I am surprised at the number of courses that insist on 2 riders per cart.  The same places that have no rakes, no water, and shallow cups.


Especially sad for senior golfers, who are high COVID risk and where walking is not an option for many.

[MClutterbuck]

Fully closed since March 20. Opening Monday if all goes well.